What's On

• Upcoming events

What's New

• After the Disaster podcast series
• Feeding Livestock – Spring Pasture Predictions
• Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy – Public consultation

BestWool/BestLamb

• Strike fast against flystrike
• Wool and sheep meat survey

BetterBeef

• Technote: Getting the best from your pastures in spring
• Do you farm beef cattle?

Beef and Sheep News

• Over sowing for weed control
• AgVic Talk – on a podcast channel near you
• eLearn

Ag Recovery

• Recovery After Fire: Practical Steps for Farmers
• Supporting landholders impacted by fires and floods across Victoria
• Financial and business support
• Regional weather and climate guides
• Recovery After Storms and Floods: Support for Primary Producers

Quick Links

• Links to Feeding Livestock website, AWI, MLA, The Fast Break, Rural Financial Counselling Service and more

PLEASE NOTE: The events listed below may be subject to last minute cancellation in the event of an emergency or advice from Victoria’s Chief Health Officer.

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The After the Disaster podcast series explores peoples' experiences following different types of disasters (such as bushfires, floods, cyclones and terrorist attacks). After the Disaster is hosted by the ABC and has been produced with the support of the Australian Red Cross and University of Melbourne, with funding support from Bushfire Recovery Victoria (BRV) and Bushfire Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre.

In the podcast, we hear from a range of people about a number of topics related to recovery. The podcast also includes insights from a number of academics and subject matter experts. While the intended audience is people directly affected by disasters, the podcasts will also be useful for recovery practitioners. It provides succinct overviews of topics related to BRV's work (and includes the voices of people with lived experience).

Visit the ABC website for more information or to listen to the podcast.

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As part of a Producer Demonstration Site, predictions for pasture growth this spring have been updated to reflect conditions on 1 October at sites in central and south west Victoria, on the website. The predictions are modelled using soil moisture probe information from 1 October and the seasonal forecast for sites in south west Victoria (Harrow, Coojar and Dartmoor) and central Victoria (Baynton).

These will be updated in early November. This project is co-funded by Meat and Livestock Australia.

For more information visit the Feeding Livestock website.

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The Victorian Government has started public consultation on the Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy. It will be a long-term plan for a climate-resilient future so even in a drying climate, there will be enough water for cities and towns, farms, industry, rivers, recreation and tourism, and water can be returned to Traditional Owners.

You can give feedback online by completing a survey, writing a submission, or providing responses to the questions about water planning in your region on an interactive map.

Go online to learn more or to RSVP to one of the Virtual Community Information Sessions or webinars.

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Dr Jeff Cave, Senior Veterinary Officer

With warmer weather around the corner combined with recent rain events, sheep producers need to be prepared for humid spring conditions that are ideal for flystrike.

Flystrike is a condition that costs the Australian sheep industry approximately $173 million annually, as a result of lost production, treatment costs and deaths.

Reducing the risk of flystrike has immense benefits to the health and wellbeing of sheep and their productivity.

The major fly responsible for flystrike in sheep is the green blowfly, Lucilia cuprina, which is believed to be the cause of 90 per cent of flystrike cases.

Lucilia cuprina begins to become active when temperatures are above 15°C and is most active when temperatures are between 26 – 36°C, and conditions are calm.

Each female fly can have up to 300 viable offspring and with a 21-day life cycle when conditions are optimal, fly numbers can increase rapidly.

The fly is attracted to odour and moisture, so the risk of flystrike increases when there is regular consistent rainfall that keeps the sheep’s skin moist.

Sheep most susceptible to flystrike are those with breech wrinkles, long wool, dags, urine stain, fleece rot, dermatitis and / or wounds. Sheep that have been previously fly-struck have a relatively higher likelihood of being re-struck.

The prevention of flystrike requires an integrated plan and includes the following:

• the selection of sheep and marking of lambs to produce a flock with relatively low susceptibility to flystrike
• shearing and crutching timed before the peak flystrike risk period
• the correct use of preventative chemicals timed to give protection during the peak flystrike risk period
• worm control and dietary management to help reduce the prevalence of dags
• the selection of relatively open, windy, dry paddocks
• the removal of infective material and carcasses that may attract flies.

As conditions become more conducive to flystrike, sheep should be monitored more regularly for flystrike.

If a fly-struck sheep is found, the affected area should be clipped close to the skin, dressed to prevent reinfection, and the sheep should be moved to a hospital paddock to reduce the risk of infecting the rest of the flock. Any maggots should be collected and killed to help reduce the build-up of fly populations.

For further advice please contact your local veterinarian, rural merchandise reseller or Agriculture Victoria veterinary or animal health officer or visit the Flyboss website and the Australian Wool Innovation website flystrike page.

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AWI and Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) jointly conduct the tri-annual wool and sheep meat survey.

Woolgrowers' continued support of this survey will provide forward-looking information allowing the industry to better manage the supply chain and meet producer and customer expectations.

The improved questionnaire makes it easier to fill in the key estimates of wool and sheep meat production information.

Responses will be aggregated with the replies from other participants to create regional, state and national wool and sheep meat industry data. Individual responses remain strictly confidential.

Visit wool.com to access the survey.

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John Bowman, Gippsland

2021 has seen unpredicted beef prices in the markets and its timely to consider ways to maximise the higher-than-average prices. With pasture growth being the on-farm driver for this production system, it is important to understand the value of investing in pastures and the key components of pasture performance.

Read the full article online or for more resources like this visit the Agriculture Victoria website.

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If so, please tell us what matters most to you about managing diseases in your beef cattle.

Many diseases in cattle can be difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to treat. There are lots of resources available to provide guidance with disease prevention, but no one farm is the same. What works for one farm might not work for another. 

Jake Fountain, a PhD student with Charles Sturt University and Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, is undertaking a study that looks at the value of on-farm disease prevention for Australian beef producers. By participating in our survey, your responses will highlight the priorities of your beef farming style so we can improve messaging around disease prevention to match these priorities.

All participants that complete the survey will also have the chance to enter our draw prize, with a chance to win:

• 1 of 10 $50 Visa gift cards
• 1 of 5  $100 Visa gift cards
• 1 of 2  $300 Visa gift cards
• 1 of 1 $700 Visa gift card

The survey is open until 23 December 2021 and you can access it online.

The 'annual grass control' Enhanced Producer Demonstration Site (EPDS) has investigated the benefits and costs of over-sowing with annual pasture to control barley grass. The demonstration was hosted on Wayne and Caterina Burton’s property near Ararat.

The demonstration was set up in May 2020 with the intention of controlling barley grass and at the same time, bulking up feed and extending the productive life of the paddock. 

The three-treatment trial included:

• Full Treatment: Over sowing, weed control and Nitrogen
• Partial Treatment 1: Over sowing and Nitrogen (no weed control)
• Partial Treatment 2: Weed control and Nitrogen (no over-sowing)

A cost: benefit analysis showed a clear benefit from both weed control and over-sowing (Full Treatment) and a reduced benefit when over-sowing was completed without weed control (Partial Treatment 1). This highlighted that the cost of weed control was justified by the additional production.

Read the full report.

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Do you enjoy listening to podcasts? Season two of AgVic Talk is now available with new stories from people working in agriculture across the state.

Recently released episodes focus on the productivity benefits gained from upgrading livestock handling infrastructure, succession planning, share farming, mentoring and on-farm health and safety.

Sarah McLean, a young beef farmer from South West Victoria talks about an incident that prompted her to think more carefully about farm safety and how their family could do things better. Sarah discusses how making changes to the way we work and setting ourselves up to enjoy farming can be just as important for safety as upgrading infrastructure and equipment.

This season we also hear from Sammy Mitchell and her mentor Andrew Bell. Sammy and Andrew have been participating in the 2021 Young Farmer and New Entrant Mentoring Program and they join AgVic Talk to share and reflect on their roles.

Organic beef producer Emma Bolding considers on-farm safety to be a non-negotiable part of the family business. Emma explains how the Farm Safety Rebate enabled the family to upgrade their old livestock handling facilities ensuring those working on the farm are safe.

To hear more, follow and listen to AgVic Talk wherever you get your podcasts:

• Subscribe to Spotify
• Subscribe to Apple Podcasts

Your feedback is important to us so make sure to rate and review our episodes and share with your friends and family.

AgVic Talk season two is funded by the Victorian Government’s $20 million Smarter, Safer Farms program to improve skills and safety outcomes for Victorian farmers.

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A selection of online courses that can be undertaken at your own pace, at any time and from anywhere with an internet connection.

The Victorian Government understands that life can get busy and it isn’t always possible to attend courses in person.

eLearning provides an accessible and flexible option for learning and expanding your knowledge.

It enables you to enhance your skills without having to attend an event or workshop in person which could be a significant distance from home, or difficult to complete due to time constraints.

To access courses, you will need to create an account.

This will allow you full access to the courses and it will track your progress as you move through them.

Browse the range of courses that can be undertaken at your own pace, at any time and from anywhere with an internet connection.

This week’s eLearn in profile is:  Stock Containment Areas

This stock containment area short course provides Victorian farmers with key information to help them better prepare and respond to dry seasonal conditions and other emergencies before critical decisions need to be made.

Topics include:

• What is a stock containment area?
• Why use a stock containment area?
• Other uses of a stock containment area
• Are you up for the task?
• Site selection
• Design
• Water
• Feeding
• Shade and shelter
• Management.

The course takes about 30 minutes to complete.

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An updated recovery guide is now available to help farmers rebuild and provide a one-stop reference to the support available. The guide includes steps to take immediately after the fire and for short-term recovery and longer-term rebuilding. It covers re-fencing, dealing with erosion and flooding, pasture recovery, pest and weed control and preparing for the next season.

The printed booklet is available from Agriculture Victoria, by contacting our Agriculture Recovery Managers (details noted below) or the Customer Services Centre on 136 186 or digital version online.

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The Victorian and Commonwealth governments are supporting landholders impacted by fires and floods across Victoria.

For more information on bushfire recovery or recovery from floods/storm event, visit the Agriculture Victoria website or contact:

Bushfire Recovery Victoria – 1800 560 760 vic.gov.au/bushfire-recovery-victoria

Regional Agriculture Victoria Recovery Managers:

• North East – Kylie Macreadie on 0428 975 728
• Gippsland – Darren Hickey on 0457 609 140

For more information on bushfire recovery, contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or see agriculture.vic.gov.au/farm-management/emergency-management/bushfires

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Rural Financial Counselling Service

The Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) have an experienced team ready to assist primary producers and small rural business in recovery planning. Financial counsellors can help develop financial forecasts and business plans required for lenders or investors, plus connect with support agencies and services. RFCS provides free financial counselling to farmers and small related businesses who are in, or at risk of, financial hardship. They can also assist with filling in forms and grant applications. For more information or to book an appointment call RFCS Gippsland on 1300 045 747 or RFCS North East on 1300 834 775

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The Regional Weather and Climate Guides project is part of the Commonwealth Government Drought Assistance Package. The project aims to improve the resilience of farming businesses by providing localised facts about the likelihood, severity, and duration of key weather variables in regions across the country.

The weather and climate information will be delivered through a set of guides corresponding to Australia's Natural Resource Management regions. The project is a collaboration between the Bureau of Meteorology, the CSIRO, and FarmLink Research. The guides have been developed in collaboration with representatives from each NRM region to ensure the information is tailored to the needs of local farmers and agribusinesses.

For more information visit the Bureau of Meteorology.

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Agriculture Victoria’s Ag Recovery Team can provide support to producers following the June storms and floods across Victoria.

There is Agriculture Recovery support available in each of the regions affected including Central and southwest Gippsland, Central Highlands, Macedon Ranges and Yarra Valley and surrounds, to provide support with issues in livestock, dairy, cropping, irrigation and horticulture.

Agriculture Victoria can offer technical advice on:

• Pasture recovery and grazing management
• Soil erosion management
• Animal health, nutrition and feed budgeting
• Whole farm planning
• Water quality, budgeting
• Farm water reticulation and dam management
• Farm business planning.

Producers and growers are encouraged to contact the Agriculture Victoria Ag Recovery Team on 0427 694 185 or at recovery@agriculture.vic.gov.au or visit agriculture.vic.gov.au.

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Visit Agriculture Victoria’s website for the latest information and resources relating to livestock and animals.

Agriculture Victoria is delivering workshops, farm walks and information sessions online. Virtual events might include webinars, teleconferences or livestreams. Visit Agriculture Victoria events for a comprehensive list of upcoming activities.

The RFCS provides free financial counselling to farmers and small related businesses who are in, or at risk of, financial hardship. Counsellors can also assist applicants to apply for the Farm Household Allowance (FHA).

For more information visit the RFCS or call the national toll free number on 1300 045 747 (select option four for Victoria).

The National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) provides health and safety education and advice to farmers and their families via the Online Ag Health program. 

For more information visit the National Centre for Farmer Health or contact Cecilia Fitzgerald on (03) 5551 8533

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